Letter to the Editor: FACTS Leader Moves Group in Positive Direction

To the Editor: 

Online “newspapers” with the ability for the reader to comment are a wonderful thing. Except for, in my opinion, two things. First, readers love to use nicknames or aliases, and second, the emotion of the writer or commentator is nearly impossible to determine.

I am guilty of the second offense in a recently published Geneva Patch article titled "" I read the article and zeroed in on two things: the writer claimed that I had a poor delivery and he claimed to have made his own “behind the scenes" progress with the Geneva Board of Education. I let my frustrations of the last 10 years get the best of me and took exception to both statements. I was wrong in doing so, and for those who were offended by my comments, I apologize. I’m not going to defend myself because in reality there is no defense. The writer, as everyone, is entitled to his own opinion.

While everyone is welcome to their opinion, when something is stated as fact, it should be defended or addressed, if false. Please be assured that Rich Hayhurst or I have never sent “seven or more e-mails on a daily basis” to the Geneva Board of Education. The writer knows this because he has received every e-mail that GenevaTax FACTS has ever sent to anyone. Rich has an e-mail log showing he has never sent that many on any given day. The ironic thing is that if the Board of Education did not receive e-mails directly from the FACTS, which they now do, at least one member received them from someone on the group’s distribution list. The communication director of the district recently requested to be sent all FACTS e-mails. The Board of Education has never onced asked to be taken off the FACTS distribution list.

Again, I am sorry I let my emotions get the better of me. We all make mistakes, but I will try to make sure this one never happens again. My comments should not overpower the good that the Geneva TaxFACTS group has accomplished over the last four years.

Bob McQuillan
Geneva